Computing systems often require upgrades and modifications to keep up with changing computational power or data storage needs. For example, a large data center may require additional storage components or higher-capacity memory as old storage becomes full. Traditionally, upgrades may be performed by swapping out older components with newer parts or adding expansion cards to existing systems. However, systems that require frequent upgrades or a large volume of expansion components may experience difficulties in easily adding new components. For example, traditional methods of mounting expansion cards, such as screwing expansion cards flat onto a printed circuit board, require the appropriate tools and a certain amount of space on the printed circuit board.
Unfortunately, the amount of available space on a printed circuit board or similar mounting board may be limited as more expansion cards are added. Moreover, with the addition of expansion cards, the power consumption of the entire computing system may increase. To counteract increased heat in the system due to the increased power consumption, traditional cooling methods may create cutouts on the printed circuit board to improve airflow or add other cooling elements to the printed circuit board. However, these cutouts and methods also occupy valuable real estate that could otherwise seat additional expansion components. Furthermore, the need for extra tools to install expansion cards in some systems can make installation unnecessarily difficult. Therefore, better methods of installing a multitude of expansion components are required to overcome these traditional disadvantages and avoid overheating the system.